Territory



- (No Model.)

P. S. WITGHEYR PORTABLE DAM.

No. 535,153. Patented Mar. 5, 1895.

Q Inventor.

WitnesSeS:

+M4WQ Attorneys.

n4: ohms PETERS co PNOTO-LITHK). WASHINGTON. a. c.

PHILIP S. l/VITOHER, OF GRANGER, UTAH TERRITORY.

PORTABLE DAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 535,153, dated March 5,1895.

Application filed January 16, 1895. Serial No. 535,117- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP S. WITOHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Granger, in the county of Salt Lake and Territory of Utah,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Dams; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in water dams, and has for itsobject to provide a dam which may be readily and quickly placed in aditch, flume, 01' other similar water channel, and which may be readilycarried from place to place, and which,when in position in a waterchannel, will effectively stop the flow of water until it has reached apredetermined height.

My invention consists of the novel dam hereinafter described andclaimed.

Reference is bad to the accompanying drawings in which similar parts areindicated by the same letters.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a ditch or fiume, showingmy improved dam or water check in position therein; and Fig. 2 is anelevation of my apparatus.

A represents a log or pole which may be of any convenient size of thenecessary strength.

B represents an apron which should be of heavy canvas, and preferablymade waterproof. This canvas apron has a hem 11 provided at its upperedge through which runs the rope or wire 0. This rope or wire 0 is drawntaut and tied or otherwise suitably secured at its ends to the eye bolts0, screwed or driven or otherwise fastened into the log A near its endsas shown in Fig. 2.

One or more loops b may be provided on the upper edge of the apronthrough which loops a cord 0' is passed and is then secured to the log Aor to an eye bolt on one of the braces D to prevent the apron sagging inthe center.

The canvas apron B may be provided with pockets of any suitable size I)having necks b as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, through which thewater escapes as shown in Fig. 1 when the water has reached the heightof the openings or pockets at.

Around the openings or pockets b a reinforcement 19 should be providedin order that the strain due to the extreme pressure of the water maynot cause the canvas to tear around the openings or pockets 1).

D represents three standards or braces, each of which is secured at itsupper end to the log or pole A by means of a metal strap d, which passesaround the said log and is bent and has its ends bolted or otherwisesuitably secured as at d to the said brace. The other end of each ofsaid braces is free, and said braces may be swung freely around the logA. When the dam is in position in a water ditch, the free or lower endsof these braces rest on the bottom of the ditch in a slanting position,with the lower ends up stream, and act as braces for the canvas apron Band prevent the said apron from bulging too much at the back, and thusavoiding the tearing or washing away of the apron when the pressurebecomes very great. The length of these braces should be regulated tosuit the depth of the ditch, and they should be somewhat longer than thedepth of the ditch. I have shown but three of these braces, but I mayuse any number convenient or desirable, according to the width of theditch.

My dam is placed in the ditch or stream in the following manner: First,place the braces D on the log A by means of the bent metal straps ashereinbefore described. Then put on the eyebolts. This log should besomewhat longer than the width of the ditch or stream, and the braces Dshould be somewhatlonger than the depth of the ditch. The log A is thenthrown across the ditch, and the free lower ends of the braces areturned up stream, so that the said braces slant upward and backward ordown stream. The canvas apron B having a rope or wire run through thehem thereof, is then got in readiness to be placed in the ditch. Thisapron should be much wider than the ditch, so that its sides may lapover and have a good bearing surface on the banks of the ditch. Theapron should be longer than the depth of the ditch so as to have a goodbearing surface on the bottom. If it be desired to allow the water torun out of the pockets b in the apron, when it has risen to that height,the necks b of the said pockets should be turned down stream, but if itis not so desired, these necks should be turned up stream and laid flatagainstthe front of the apron, thus preventing escape of watertherefrom. The ends of the rope or wire 0 are then drawn taut and aresecured to the eye bolts (t on the log A. The cord 0' passing throughthe loop 12 is then secured to the log A in any convenient way, and thusprevents sagging of the center of the apron. A man might then step downinto the ditch above the dam and taking hold of each lower edge of theapron B, stretch the apron across the ditch. Then by means of his footor by using a shovel or the like instrument, he can press the apron downto the bottom of the ditch. The pressure of the water will then hold theapron firmly and fiat against the sides and bottom of the ditch, and thebraces D will prevent the apron from being torn, or the bottom edgethereof from being carried through under the log by the pressure of thewater.

It will be seen that I provide a cheap, simple and efficient apparatusfor stopping the flow of water in asmall stream, which can be easilyplaced in the said stream and may be readily removed therefrom whendesired and replaced when needed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with the logA, and a plurality of swinging braces connected thereto and free attheir lower ends; of an apron made of flexible material connected at itsupper edge to said log A, and free at its lower edge and side edges,substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with the logA, and the swinging braces D; of the flexible apron B provided withpockets therein, and necks connected with said pockets, substantially asand for the purposes described.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with thelog Aand the swinging braces D; of the apron B provided with a hem b the ropeO passing through said hem and secured at its ends to eyebolt-s on thelog A, substantially as and for the purposes de scribed.

4. In a portable dam of the character described, the combination with alog adapted to span the ditch or stream, of a canvas apron provided witha hem along its upper edge through which hem passes a rope or wire,which rope or wire is secured at its ends to eyebolts on said log; and aplurality of braces hinged to said log and adapted to support the backof said canvas apron when in use, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP S. NITCIIER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS MARsHALL, LULA GEOGHEGAN.

